Tell Me About Navi
by TheLoneStar6
Summary: "Tell me about Navi." Tatl said, almost ordered, as Link bent down to fetch his boots. The question froze the boy in place and the room was filled with a suffocating silence. The only sound within the Knife Chamber was the pattering of raindrops on the window. First story in my "Tales of Termina" series.


"Tell me about Navi." Tatl said, almost ordered, as Link bent down to fetch his boots. The question froze the boy in place and the room was filled with a suffocating silence. The only sound within the Knife Chamber was the pattering of raindrops on the window. Was it better or worse to always know exactly when rain was coming? "Tell me about her." Tatl continued on when she didn't get an answer.

Link sat back up, staring up at Tatl with those dull blue eyes of his. The eyes that the fairy, on more than one occasion, described as unnerving. He tried to speak, but the words got caught in his throat. He licked his dried lips and tried again. "How do you know that name?" He knew he never mentioned Navi to Tatl during his time in Termina, not even once.

It was at this point the fairy knew she had crossed some sort of line, but she kept going. That's just how she was. "You talk in your sleep sometimes. It's kind of hard to ignore when I have to snooze in your hat. I heard you, last night, muttering her name, but I never caught any other details. Tell me about Navi." She repeated, fluttering about the room and looking out the window at the raindrops hitting the glass.

"That isn't any of your concern." Was the only answer Tatl received. That was how he tended to talk to his second fairy companion, and to everyone else, in short bursts that went straight to the point. He never beat around the bush or engaged in small talk.

Others might have mistaken his behavior for rudeness, but Tatl knew it wasn't the case. What _was_ the case, however, was beyond her. It sometimes seemed to her like all the emotion, energy, and passion had been strangled out of the boy and left to rot somewhere while he moved on. Not that she would know why, of course. This wasn't the first time Tatl queried on something in Link's personal life, and it wasn't the first time he simply shut her down. In fact, he did so each and every time Tatl tried to get to know him. "Well, why not?" She persisted, flying in close to Link's face. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"I believe the term you used was partner, wasn't it?" Link argued, staring directly into where he thought Tatl's eyes were. His expression and voice hadn't changed an iota since Tatl asked the first question. The fairy would have compared his face to a mask, but then she'd have to slap herself for taking the easy route.

The words stung Tatl, though she didn't let it show. Then again, Link wouldn't be able to see her face even if she did. While almost dismissive of her, Link was never actually _mean_ to her, at least not on purpose. Not like she had been to him when they first met. "H-Hey! That was weeks ago! Things have changed since then!" Or had it been months? Frankly, she had stopped counting cycles after the fifth or sixth time around. She had the distinct feeling the young child before her knew exactly how many days had passed.

"That was yesterday." He countered, showing off a very rare instance of his humor. It was about as dry as the dust in Ikana and equally as dead.

"You know what I meant! You're just avoiding the question! What's going on with you anyway?!" Tatl was getting fired up by this point, her light nearly going red. She wasn't the type to open up to people, but she was actually trying with Link, to get to know him better and get something like a friendship going. She had never said it out loud, but she was starting to like the boy she initially felt chained to. You simply don't adventure around with someone for weeks straight and not grow at least a little attached. That, and he was literally the only person in the world she had right now and vice versa.

Finally, a bit of emotion showed on Link's face in the form of a miniscule frown that Tatl didn't even notice. "It's none of your business, that's what's going on. You listened to me sleep, and then tried to pry into my past."

She hated to admit it, but Link had a bit of a point. Though not on purpose, she had been eavesdropping, and then pushed the issue even though Link clearly wasn't interested in talking about it. Still, Tatl was the most stubborn person she knew, so she wasn't about to quit now. "Look, you're right, I'll say that much." She conceded with a sigh. "But we're friends now, right? Friends talk to friends! I told you about how Tael and I met the Skull Kid, remember?"

"You told me that on your own, I never asked." Link shot back, his gaze on the fairy intensifying. Like his face, his position never moved either. Tatl felt like she was talking to a statue or something. She wished he would emote more in general either way, the boy sometimes creeped her out with how lifeless he was.

Once more, Link had somewhat of a point, but that didn't keep Tatl from being insulted. "I actually opened up and shared something important to me! Don't just brush that off, what's wrong with you?!" This was the nastiest Link had ever gotten with her by far. When the two first partnered up and she would casually insult him and tried to goad him, he would just ignore her words instead of insulting her back. At this point he was practically being antagonistic, at least in her eyes. Was this Navi person so important that he'd resort to being like this?

It seemed, however, that Tatl's words got to Link as a shadow of guilt crossed his face and he let out a sigh. "You're right, that was going too far. I'm sorry." The regret bled its way into his voice as well, so Tatl knew he was being sincere. "Why do you want to know so bad, anyway?"

"It's like I said, we're friends! Friends like to know about other friends' lives! Do I really have to spell it out for you?" This was a bit of a lie on Tatl's part. While she was at least starting to consider the two of them to at least be distant friends, she was more driven by the mystery of it all. The only things she knew about Link were his name and that he hailed from Hyrule. Everything else was an enigma. "Maybe talking about it will make you feel better. Come on, let me be your shoulder for one conversation!" A bit manipulative? Perhaps. Just because Tatl was starting to like this kid didn't mean her personality did a flip. "You always say things like 'Now isn't the time.' or 'That isn't important.' when I ask you about stuff. Why not just try and open up, just a teeny bit? Who knows, maybe being social for once will do you wonders!"

Tatl was afraid that last comment had gone too far, but it just slipped out. But, to her surprise, Link actually paused in thought. He gazed about the room as if looking for the answer he should give. His eyes settled on his sword and shield, propped up by the room's bed and just at tuck and roll away if, by some crazy chance, he actually needed them. Maybe Tatl was right. Maybe he could open up to her a bit. It wasn't as if Tatl would be the first person he told Navi about, after all, that wasn't the issue. He talked with Malon about it, for instance, as the two of them bonded since he was sent back in time. The problem was a bit more complicated than that. But…maybe it was a problem that Link needed to confront. Especially if he and Tatl were going to travel across Termina countless times over. Once more, Link licked his dried lips and nodded. "Okay. Just so you know, if you make any sort of snide comments, I'll stop."

Really, Tatl didn't expect Link to say yes. She couldn't blame him for his rule, so she just nodded. Then, after realizing he probably couldn't tell she had done so, she chimed up. "Yes, of course! It's a deal!"

"Okay…" At first, Link didn't say anything and Tatl wondered if he was having second thoughts. Then, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them once again. "You aren't the first fairy companion I've had. Navi was. She was my Guardian Fairy, one I had waited an entire decade for. Do you know how important it was that I got one? How important Guardian Fairies are to the Kokiri?" He clenched his fists as he spoke, his nails digging into his palms.

At first, Tatl was stunned silent for two reasons. One was she couldn't remember the last time Link said so much in one go. The other was that Link was apparently a Kokiri, but…no, that couldn't be. While from Termina initially, Tatl and Tael had been to Hyrule before and the two had a vague knowledge of how Guardian Fairies and the Kokiri worked. They were forest spirits that could never leave the woods, or else they would die. At least, that's what the two fairy siblings had heard. "Wait, you can't be a Kokiri, right? You're out of the forest! Why did you have a Guardian Fairy?" At this point, Tatl floated downward and landed on the room's table, sitting with her legs crossed.

Link unclenched his fists, feeling his heart hammering violently at his ribcage as he took another deep breath. Why was he finding this so difficult? Tatl's question filled him with an internal panic he couldn't explain. He thought since he had told this story before, it would be easier to tell it again, but once more he felt the words getting caught on the way out. Clearing his throat, he tried to continue. Maybe Tatl was right. Maybe this would actually help him feel better. He had to try, at least. "I was a Hylian, raised by Kokiri. That's all I'll say on that part." Tatl nodded, though Link couldn't see it, and simply kept going. "I was the only one without a fairy until I was ten and…I remember being so happy." He closed his eyes once more as he breathed that last sentence, remembering how his heart swelled at Navi's presence. Now he felt a sense of longing at the mental image of Navi without a hint of joy. "She was so kind, and she truly cared about me. More than just about anyone I've ever met."

It was hard for Tatl to imagine Link smiling or being happy. He hadn't smiled at all since she met him, not even when his unique brand of humor managed to shine through. It was almost like imagining a paradox in physical form, and it gave her a twinge of pity to realize how impossible it was to imagine Link with even a grin on his face. Still, she'd never admit to such feelings, at least not to Link's face. "But what happened?" She goaded, feeling as if she already knew the answer.

"She left." Once more, straight to the point. He kept his eyes shut, replaying the scene in his head as he spoke. "Without a word."

"Well…You're not a Kokiri, so she couldn't be your Guardian Fairy." Tatl said, almost sounding patronizing in Link's mind, like she was explaining basic math to a stupid child.

"Don't you think I know that?" Link opened his eyes, giving Tatl a look he usually reserved for combat. A piercing sapphire glare that actually brought a semblance of life back into his eyes. "I know we couldn't be a pair, but we could still have been friends."

Tatl winced at the look Link was giving her now. Maybe this was a mistake. She never should have brought this up. There was an emotional edge to his voice, though strangely, it was one Tatl couldn't quite place. Anger? Sadness? Either way, it was almost worse than the monotone droning he usually let file out of his mouth. This Navi situation really struck a nerve with him. While it disturbed her to hear it, it was at the same time interesting to get a glimpse of some kind of emotion in this walking doll of a human being. Tatl knew it was underhanded and cruel, but she never said she was a nice person, so she prodded more. "So, what happened? Where did she go?"

"I don't know. That's why I was out in that maze of a forest." Link's glare never left his face, and he could feel a bitter anger bubbling in his gut. Despite what Tatl may have thought, Link felt things. He felt anger and sadness like anyone else, he simply masked those feelings away. Sometimes the mask would crack, and he'd do something like scream or cry, but he would then mend those cracks and go back to his calmer exterior. So far, he had kept his mask intact while in Termina, but he could feel the cracks forming. "I was looking for her when _you_ came and got me trapped in this cursed land!" Link stood up, his fists clenched tight enough that his nails started to cut into the flesh of his palms.

Tatl flew up, out of Link's reach. She did so instinctively, not thinking that the boy would actually attempt to strike out at her. Still, the way he raised his voice, the first time he'd done so outside of battle, and that sudden movement made her fear for her safety, if only for a moment. When Link just stood there, his gaze having followed her upward, she descended, the light emitting from her body dimming slightly. "Hey! It's not like I knew that! How could I have?"

"On purpose or not, Navi is getting farther and farther from me. I need to find her. So that's what the deal with her is, are you happy?" An edge of bitterness coated Link's tongue as he spoke. He knew it wasn't fair to treat Tatl this way, but he felt he was losing control of himself. He didn't want to get attached to Tatl or treat her as a friend. Link would protect her, of course, he had already stopped several Keese from snatching her up and devouring her. He wasn't even really angry at her. He was…afraid.

"I'm not happy, not really." Tatl chided, once more taking her seat on the table. "She abandoned you. Is she really worth the trouble?"

"You don't get it." Link closed his eyes and took a few deep breathes to try and keep the cracks in his mask from opening up, but it was becoming harder. Really, he should have stopped there, but he couldn't help but keep going. "I _need_ her. Guardian Fairies are more than just a friend."

"But why? Was she your only friend? Don't you have anyone else?" Tatl found it hard to believe that Link could form other friendships. The idea of him making small-talk, playing with others, being social...it was an unusual and alien train of thought that Tatl just couldn't picture. He didn't seem to have interest in any kind of activities that children normally enjoyed. Sometimes it seemed as if he was...something else pretending to be a kid.

"I-I do, I just…" His voice faltered and his eyes opened up once more, now losing their glare. Legs going weak, Link sat down on the floor, back to the bed. He unclenched his fists and looked down at his hands, palms marked by the nails that had dug into him. Link felt dizzy, like the world was spiraling about wildly and felt as if he'd throw up. He could feel his mask cracking more and more, like an invisible hand had a tightening grip on it.

Tatl dropped all facades and let her true emotions show. She flew over to Link, her light brightening back up to normal. "Hey! Link, you can stop! I'm sorry I pried, okay? We can stop now! It's okay! You don't have to talk about this anymore!" Link's skin had gone pale and she was sincerely afraid he was about to have some kind of panic attack. She had wanted to see him livelier and more emotive, but not like this!

Link heard Tatl's words, but they didn't quite register in his head, like they got lost on the way to his brain once they entered his ears. He wanted to spill everything, to finally admit to Tatl to something he'd never told another soul. Not even Saria. "I…I need her." He whispered, so quietly that Tatl almost didn't hear him. "I need her. Without her I…" Link continued to gaze at his hands and flexed his fingers over and over. "I'm not whole."

He wasn't going to stop, was he? Tatl accidentally uncovered some kind of block in Link's mind, and now all his thoughts would flood out like a broken dam. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"I need her to be whole!" He cried out, loud enough that those in the next room over could hear his voice, though muffled. "If I don't have her, I'm incomplete. Don't you get it?!" Tatl floated there silently, so clearly she didn't. "I have a piece missing, and it feels so disgusting. I don't _feel_ right." He slapped at his legs a few times, as if trying to confirm that they were indeed there and not some sort of illusion. "The missing piece felt like it was growing and growing over those two years, so I knew I had to look for her. If the hole gets bigger, it will just…swallow me. I won't exist anymore…"

Tatl was absolutely stupefied. How does one respond to something like that? This was out of her depth, she didn't know what to do! They were in too deep for her to just try and drop the subject or fly off for a while. The latter especially would probably break Link in a way she didn't think he could handle. With all the carefulness of walking around broken glass, Tatl spoke up. "I don't understand, Link. I don't think-"

"Am I crazy?" Link asked, finally looking back up at Tatl. His eyes were wide and pleading, a look Tatl had never seen on him before. "Am I mad? I think I might be but…I…I don't know. I just can't…" He trailed off, but his eyes conveyed what he really wanted to say. Two simple, small words: Help me.

But Tatl didn't know how to help. In a way, this was more terrifying than anything she had faced alongside Link on their adventure. A monster is attacking? Easy, she flies out of reach while Link kills it with a sword or an arrow. The Moon is getting too close to the Clock Tower? Just play the Song of Time and they could try again. But here…she had no idea what to do. Flying away wasn't an option, traveling back in time would do nothing of course, and staying was fruitless. She didn't know how to handle this. Tatl was more of a tough love sort of fairy. When Tael was upset, she would tell him to buck up and shake off what was bothering him. For her foolish brother, it worked. For Link…she had a feeling if she dared to say anything like that to him, he may hate her forever. "I don't…I can't help you, Link." She admitted, feeling like the worst person in the world for doing so. For once, Link was dependent on her, looking to an older, wiser person for aid. Looking like…well, a child. For the first time, Tatl thought of the boy as a helpless kid, and she couldn't do a thing to help him.

And so, Link's mask shattered.

It started off quietly. Link simply stared at Tatl as his eyes began to water, his vision growing increasingly blurred. Then, the tears began to cascade down his face in a steady, endless stream. Soon, a whine escaped from Link's throat and, before the fairy knew it, he started to sob. It was quiet, near silent at first. The only sign of the sobbing was the constant shaking of Link's shoulders as the pain shook his body. He sniffled and choked on his own words as he tried to speak, but all that came out where pained whimperings and sobs that contorted his face into a mask of absolute misery.

"Link! Link, please, calm down. I…It will be okay! I promise!" Tatl desperately cried out, not knowing exactly what to do. Gentle comforting was something alien to her. What could she say? Should she get someone? Anju? No, that was the wrong answer. She knew that much. The fairy watched helplessly as Link's sobs grew louder and he lowered his head so she couldn't see his face anymore. In a last-ditch effort to soothe Link, if only a little, she flew to his face and hugged at his cheek. She felt a bit silly for doing so, she'd be surprised if Link even felt it. The poor fairy was just too small to really bring physical comfort to a human. Still, she tried her best, even caressing his face as best as she could. Mimicking mothers she had seen comforting their crying children, she gently shushed at Link to try and get him calmer.

Indeed, Link didn't even realize Tatl was latched onto his face. He was too wrapped up in his misery to notice. He felt so stupid, so _weak_ for letting his emotions come out like this, but now that the waterworks had started, he couldn't stop himself. He felt like a weak child that couldn't keep his emotions in check and how he despised himself for it. He despised how he couldn't even feel happiness anymore. It was either sadness or anger, even since Navi left. She took his ability to feel joy when she flew out of the Temple of Time and the only way to get it back was to find her. He was better off not feeling at all until he found his Guardian Fairy. Until then, he had to hide the rest away. "Navi…" He sputtered out without even meaning to. Was it okay for him to want to feel happiness? Did he deserve it? After all, Navi took those feelings from him. Maybe she had good reason.

The two sat there for an uncertain amount of time. The minutes passed at sluggish intervals as the rain outside continued to slap at the window. Link's sobbing eventually started to quiet down, and he raised his head up once more. Tatl detached from his face and flew in front of it. "There…Are you better now? I'm right here, you don't have to cry anymore." Was that the right thing to say? Once more, she was mimicking things she heard from elsewhere.

Link look at her with a dazed, glassy expression. His eyes now puffy and red and his face was stained with tear marks. "For how long?" He whispered to her, once more so quietly that Tatl barely even registered he talked.

"What? What did you say?"

"How long?" He asked again, but louder. He sounded drained. Tired. His face was still pale, and his breathing was somewhat erratic. "How long will you stay with me?"

What? What kind of question was that?! Did Link think she would just leave without a word like Navi? It struck her then. Like a slap to the face. That's exactly what he thought would happen. He got another Guardian Fairy, or at least someone filling a similar role, and he just assumed she'd abandon him when all was said and done. Truthfully, she had actually put zero thought in what would happen when the Moon was stopped, and Majora's Mask safely returned to the Salesman. That being said, just ditching Link without so much as a good-bye was not something that crossed her mind. "I'll stay with you as long as you need me." That seemed to be the safe answer to give. After all, they couldn't stick with each other forever. They were literally from two different worlds. She just couldn't bring herself to tell that to him. Not now.

Link gave Tatl a look of sad disbelief. Why should he trust her? He wanted to, of course, but he never thought Navi would abandon him either. Yet she was in parts unknown and he was trapped in what seemed like some sort of world crafted entirely to torture him. Having to constantly see familiar faces no matter where he went, exact copies of friends and people he had helped in Hyrule. He could only be thankful there was no copy of Saria or Navi anywhere, he'd never be able to handle that. Link could barely tolerate Romani, if only due to her appearance. "What will happen when everything is over? Will you come to Hyrule?"

"I…I don't know. The Skull Kid was from there, and the three of us went back and forth a bunch of times. I have no idea where that steel door in the Clock Tower came from." Tatl had wondered about that just about every day since the adventure started. What if it never opened? What if Link was trapped here? She had kept that thought to herself and would continue to do so. "There's no reason we can't still be friends, even if we can't see each other every day. We can visit!" She said instead. Tatl wondered how the old her would have reacted to this scene. Tatl was still Tatl deep inside, but…she hated to admit it, but she felt herself going soft. Strange how this one kid could do that. The old her probably would have barfed at this sappy scene.

The broken child stared at Tatl for an unnervingly long time, the fairy feeling as though he was trying to peer into her soul for the truth. Eventually, he spoke just two words. "Promise me." He wasn't sure he could bear it if history repeated itself. If Tatl did what Navi had done, Link was afraid it would break him permanently.

"If it will make you feel better…then fine, I promise you. Okay?" Tatl meant it sincerely but felt Link had calmed down enough for her usual snark to come back a bit. He did seem to be getting better since he stopped crying. His face was starting to regain color, and his breathing started to even out. He wiped away the remaining wetness from his face and put back on the mask of stoicism Tatl was familiar with. "There, it's all better now. Right?"

Link gave a small nod, sitting back onto the bed. He just felt guilty now, for how he treated Tatl in the past. "Tatl…I'm sorry. I know I haven't been friendly." He found it hard to look at the fairy, opting to look down at his feet instead. "I was just afraid of…" Getting attached, was what he wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to.

"It's fine. I understand why you were like that. Besides, I wasn't exactly nice to you at first either." She thought back to the times she accused Link of being some kind of friendless, freaky loner, and inwardly winced. "So, I'm sorry too, but don't tell anyone I apologized, alright? Especially not Tael!"

Nodding, Link managed to look back towards the fairy again. "I promise." He said, his voice now completely monotone again, as if nothing had ever happened. The boy underestimated Tatl's capacity for kindness. She shattered his mask, sure, but she then went and helped pick up the pieces. Hopefully he could contain himself for a nice, long while. Tatl's previous words actually rang true; he did feel a little bit less stressed, funnily enough. "I'm going back to bed."

"What? But you just woke up! Aren't you going to at least get break…" She trailed off, remembering how Anju's cooking tasted. "On second thought, skipping breakfast is a smart move." Tatl watched as Link lied back down, covering himself with a sheet. Honestly, she didn't blame him, that probably wore him out enough for a quick nap. She did notice how much he loved to nap during their "Break Cycles" where the two of them would stay in Clock Town as they physically and mentally recovered. Speaking of 'mentally', her mind wandered to Link's statement of being erased. She had no idea what to do with that. He actually sounded like it was something he believed in. Maybe he was a bit mad. Then again, what did she know? This wasn't the time to talk about that.

"Her cooking isn't that bad." Link argued as Tatl sat on his pillow. "…Thank you, Tatl. I'm sorry my emotions got out of control. I won't let it happen again."

"There's nothing wrong with letting your emotions show, you know." Tatl said with a sigh. "It was a bit surprising, but welcome, in a way."

To that, Link had no answer. He simply closed his eyes and soon Link drifted off back to sleep. Tatl, his new Guardian Fairy, watched him sleep for a little bit and thought to herself. Once more she pondered on how this one kid managed to worm his way into her heart. Of course, she'd rather get eaten by a Keese than ever admit that to his face. She may be going soft, but Tatl still had a reputation to uphold, after all.

Deciding that Link had the right idea, the fairy crawled back into the boy's hat and soon found herself fast asleep as well.


End file.
